There is a multitude of rationales for securing portals such as doors, gates, windows, or other fenestrations. Whether for security, privacy, or protection against the elements, most portals possess a feature that guards against their undesired opening. This is commonly accomplished by locking the portal or by barring it shut. Current technology includes barring a portal by placing a bar across the movable structure, or “door” portion of the portal, and then securing the bar to the nonmovable structure, or “wall” that is on either side of the portal. As each end of the bar is attached to the nonmovable structure such that the bar crosses over the entire width of the movable structure, it is thus “cross connecting.”
An inward- or outward-opening portal such as a door or gate can be barricaded from one side because the bar prevents it from swinging in that particular direction. An upward- or downward-opening portal such as a window or garage door can be barricaded similarly, with the additional step of securing the bar to not only the nonmovable structure, but to the movable structure as well; in this manner, the bar attaches the movable structure to the nonmovable structure to preclude opening of the portal.
While a cross connecting bar has the advantage of being much stronger than a lock, there are disadvantages as well. The most salient shortcoming of a cross-connecting bar is that the portal must be barred from the inside. That is, an individual cannot enjoy the security benefits of a cross-connecting bar while the individual is away from the premises. Similarly, an individual could easily become “locked out” if another person, already inside, bars the portal. Thus, it can be said that a cross-connecting bar is a “one-way” security device.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a cross-connecting locking apparatus that attaches to both the movable and nonmovable portal structure and that is remotely operable. Such an apparatus combines the strength of a cross-connecting bar with the “two-way” accessibility of a lock.